Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
Notes on the Lesson fo,.
17-"Joseph Makes Hi,n>
self Known"

teen. Time, 1907 3. c., nine years sf
events of the last lesson. Place. Hal
The capital of Lower Egypt
SPECIAL MENTION.
Egypt.-One of the most ancient AMI
esting countries on the face of the carl
y bounded south by Ethiopia. north ~
Mediterranean Sea, and east by the Ray
Its northern and southern limits are a HiaS1
Eek. 80: 10; 30:6. 1t presents Itself to telj
If the traveller as an immense valley. ov,@ass
aearIy &C M les in length, and hemmaae atI
The cast and west by ridge Of hills ana %
expanse of desert 1t has al alluvial Nv ~
owing its existence, fertility, aud hvas
TO the River Nile, which flows thronwsssl1
Hence, Egypt was anciently called stnosu
81 the Nile" AS to the origin of the n.y.
there is much difference of opinion. Ivy
Old Testament, the Hebrew word lran ~
Egypt is Ki1raim, which wa, the ham
one of the sons Of Ham Gen. 10. "a =
might have been the founder of the ~ NV
1t is sometimes called Ham (Ps. Is: 5l%aI
1921; JOG: %, aud also Rahab ar, y
| 81: 10: lisa. 81: 81 The Arabs now c,n
MIR. As a subject of prophecy, ESSr4
| ono of the most interesting of ancient , anp
lisa. IS: 10; Jcr. ~: 46; Eek. %: 3@ \
predictions concerning 1t are remarkal,.1
their precision Il fuliness; II their ev
fultiilment in every essential point is atts..
by i~ncontrovertiblc evidence. AT thu
when some of the most extraordinary of.5J
predictions were uttered GEEK. 81: ~
Egypt was tlourisbing in arts and arms
splendid cities rose up on every side. ami
stately monuments OF her genius and inlns
were without q parallel. But when the ds
counsel was fulfilled, the scepter of the J
raohs fell, and Egypt became a trIIra
kingdom, without q prince Of its " n
jecl to q foreign yoke, and has Often
Benjamin. Gen. 35: lS) was the yous,
son Of Jacob and Rachel. His mother
Immediately after his birth, which took nj
neal Bethlehem, when the family wera
tlleirjourney from Padan-aram to Canaan NJ
her dying breath she called him Benopi n
son of my sorrow'), but his father gave
the name of Benjamin. The tribe Of Rel
min had their portion of the promised
adjoining Judah, and when ten of the hi
revolted, Benjamin continued steady in
attachment to Judah, and formed a pa,
that kingdom q Kings II: 1929. The h
phetic history of the tribe is told in
1927, and Deut. S3: IL.
Goshen. This land, also called sthe Ian,
Ran,eses' Chap. AZ: ~, probably from
city "Raamses, "wh CHI the Israelites wereU
PEELED to build there (Ex. l: 11), was STU.
On the eastern bank of the Nile, and, appsy5
ly commencing a little to the north Of Nj
phis, extended to the Mediterranean, and
the borders of the Phllistlnes' lane, OK,
~. In Ps. Is: 1913, it is called the siela
Zion" or Tanis. 1t probably was an UNSET
q very loose way to Egypt In the Xxx
called sGesem of Arabia" to which coup
both Horodotus and Strabo reckoued ali
district on the east of the Nile toward
Isthmus of SueZ as belonging. And here
Israelites were constantly Joined BY 4
numbers of Semitic Immigrants, who were
rolled in their stafs," and swelled the rapi
increasing number of their dependents.
Gods hand IN human affairs. This is
great truth of the passage. The following
tracts, bearing upon the subject, will sctil
this truth in various phases:
The divine purpose in bringing Jacob ;
his descendants into Egypt, for which The
is prepared in the events of this lesson, I'd
to have been two-fold. ~ The bad surroi
ings of Jacobs sons were rapidly demon
ing them. 1t was necessary to remove I
from contact with the C~anaanites, and
them where they would not suffer from {
citation with corrupt people.
This could b. accomplished in EGyp. '
cause the Egyptians would hold then,
shepherds, in abominatlon, and would
mingle with them. e. 1t was INTENDED !
mate!y to bring them into conflict with
most powerful and enlightened nation
existing, and give them the victory, that
name and might and majesty of Jcho
might be exhibited throughout Egypt and
surrounding countries, in the o~verthro}
the Egyptian gods, and in overwheln
judgments on Pharaoh and his people
channels of human nature. all this was
complished. standard E .cl. Comm.)
st ecnS not you Mat sent me hithfE,
God" sIn one sense that was true. All
was kind and commendable in Joseph to
deavor to mitigate his brothers sense Of 4
by directing their attention to the Provide
which directed and overruled their ad
But Gods providence does not interfere
mans freedom and responsibility. Jose5
brethren were not the less guilty on aco
of their crime, for the fact that in it tley
unconsciously carried out Gods plans
purposes, Or for the fact that Proyild
overruled their action SO as to bring out
better results han they intended.
though Joseph's intention was kind and
his brothers We're wrong if they allowed
consideration which he presented to lesstl
the least their sense of guilt and of nee
repentance and forgiveness" CTodd)
AT the very moment when Joseph kl
saw In his brethren only the unconscious
struments of Gods providence, he wass1
ing 1t almost as unconsciously by his plan
securing his father and brethren q safe
happy settlement in Egypt. (Smlth-l
history of Joseph shows how skillful!
nightly God manages the wicked, mss
their wickedness work WHOLLY against I
purpose) to evolve Astounding good. Ii
Lord were obliged to say, Il must ca1
myself with the cooperation of the good
unfaIlen, turning their agency to best aa
ior the promotion OF happiness, but, as@
wicked, they are beyond n:y reach;
do nothing with them; the evil the!
must be endured as so much deal
vice toward virtue and happiness, the
would be, so far, n of unrelieved sada
we may bless the name of our Lord, that
Of wisdom and power, AMI the
golngs of his love, are not thus limited )
good results will be extortel from even =
horrible crimes of Joseph's brethren. y
inc devils w~ickedness, in which he cXan
avalllng to Illustrate Gods plans and to y
ME throne, he will find at length, to his
iasuIhB confusion and shame, has been I'D
Dy me overmastering wisdom, power ana
OF God, to subserve the very cause he tb0s
70 break down, and to BIZ, ak down en
1hlng he had vainly hoped to build
FOR IS not Gol wiser and mightier than
devil? tCowles.)
sEED-TRUTHs AND GERM-TEoUGH1s
l. Sacredne s and instructive modest
deep grief ". y.
= A guilty conscience makes one le'
and cowardiy ". 3l.
!. Beauty and power of a forslyins y
.. human responsibility and divine :"
eighty ". 81.
. God can make even mans wioicdEs'
serve his purpose ". y.
t. Micliedness is none the less slnll
cause God overrules it.
Subject of the lesson for April 2, '7
and his Father. Gen. IL: LIZ.